I’ll admit it: If I saw a refinishing project like this in front of me, with every inch covered in thick, glossy paint, I’d probably turn and run the other way. Refinishing furniture has never been my favorite thing to do, even though time and again I see Before & After projects where the patience…
In all our years of posting Before & Afters, I don’t think I’ve ever come across this many flowers in one room. The bathtub has flowers on it!! Yikes. Luckily, the owner of this late 1800s Victorian farmhouse, April Cochran-Smith, is a photographer and designer with a great eye for contrasts, color and drama. She’s made a…
It’s a thrilling time of year for me, a former display artist, when I get to see emerging designers not only prepping their goods for exhibitions but also tinkering away to create unexpected, dramatic displays to showcase their designs. The booths deserve their own show for the amount of effort and creativity that go into…
I have a soft spot in my heart for cinder blocks — I consider them the closest thing to Legos for adults, and I get really excited when people use them in cool ways. I’ve seen many cinder block planters, which is understandable: The combination of gray cement and green herbs and succulents is lovely….
I love patchwork wood projects like this dresser makeover from Jonnie Anderson, whom you may remember from her lovely studio renovation a couple years ago. The weathered wood and pastel tones give the piece a wonderfully beachy, summertime vibe. I’ve never been lucky enough to find salvaged wood in such beautiful colors, but if I…
The neutral, sophisticated style of this boy’s room makeover from Kathleen Hertzler may be a change from the usual bright rainbow hues we associate with kids’ bedrooms, but I find the rustic, log cabin-y vibe so cozy and welcoming that I have a hard time imaging a kid not loving this room. The ceiling is…
With all of us here at D*S going through a major copper obsession right now, it should come as no surprise that we love penny installations — walls, floors, you name it. One of the greatest assets of using pennies for decor is the inherent variation in color and pattern you get; the salvaged look…
When floors are in bad condition and refinishing or renovating seems out of the question, people often try to downplay their floors by painting them a neutral color or hiding them under various rugs. However, I’m becoming increasingly convinced that if you can find a pattern or color you really love, the best cure for…
I do believe that there are some irrefutable beauties in the world, and wood is one of them. The greatest part of decorating with wood is that cheap, old, tattered and even dirty wood can look amazing; it has incredible texture, character and color. How many materials can you say that about? This reclaimed-wood backsplash…
I’ve tackled a few chair renovations, but I’ll be honest: caning intimidates me. I’m eagerly awaiting the day that Amanda covers caning in Upholstery Basics, but until then, I’m steering clear. I love this chair renovation from Haley Beham; she’s found an inventive way to mimic the original caning back by weaving strips of cotton…
I’ll be honest; when I see pieces painted over in this fashion, I usually want to run the other way. Just the thought of trying to tackle a project like this credenza from Meagan Luhrs and her husband, Ryan Thompson, makes me break out in a preemptive sweat. I am amazed at their results and would…
I know that painting or drawing on wood continues to attract controversy, but today I’m excited to share two* of the prettiest painted furniture pieces I’ve come across recently. First up is this Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired table by Jesse Dresbach, owner of the furniture-restoration shop Nine Red. We’ve featured some of Jesse’s skilled restoration work in…
It’s so fun to see where people go hunting for furniture — thrift stores, yard sales, the bizarre junk shop you can barely walk around in. There’s treasure to be found everywhere! Wippowillow founder Kate Troyer decided to combine her modern textile designs with a more traditional chair shape. Her friend and colleague Shannon found…
I see desks like these in thrift stores and on the side of the road all the time, and honestly, I can’t say that I feel inspired when I look at them. However, now that I’ve seen this refinishing job from Rebekah Disch, I’m reminded yet again that every piece of furniture can have potential…
I’m not a huge fan of how fences look, but I love using old fence wood for projects. When I spot a few planks in a salvage yard or on the side of the road, I always try to pick them up for future use. I love the way Sarah Hart Morgan has transformed this…
Furniture pieces like this dresser redo make me think there are tons of you out there who could live double lives running successful furniture design or restoration businesses. I’m still sort of amazed that Renee saw the “before” dresser above and had the vision to create the stunning two-tone piece below. I adore that dark…
“You know you’re really nobody in LA unless you live in a house with a really big door.” — Steve Martin, LA Story I don’t want to think about what my peeling, drafty door with broken hardware says to the world about me :) On the other end of the spectrum is this gilded Chinoiserie…
It’s awesome to see the DIY painted-rug trend blowing up these days, especially because rugs can be one of the hardest things to shop for — there are so many ugly rugs out there, and the best-looking ones always seem too expensive. This isn’t the first project Holly has shared with us — we featured…
I love listening to the stories behind people’s renovations; sometimes you learn that the most beautiful renovations occur when homeowners uncover a gem that has been hidden beneath layers of previous work. Such is the case with this fireplace renovation from Heather. It’s projects like this that inspire me to delve beneath an interior and…
When we posted Evita’s studio makeover last August, I was immediately drawn to the pale neutral palette with a few sprinkles of dramatic dark tones and bold colors. I was very excited to see that Evita designed her bedroom in similar hues and that she added a monochromatic chevron wall. The pattern is such an…
